Adam and the Ants: “Kings of the Wild Frontier” (1980)

Adam and the Ants break the shackles of centuries of taming with their breakout single.

Kronomyth 1.6: Red-skinned, blue-blooded white dandies.

With Kings of the Wild Frontier, Adam and the Ants struck upon a new sound that mixed the burgeoning English punk scene with Burundi drums and Ennio Morricone’s spaghetti western film scores. I know, it sounds like a mess, but Adam Ant tied it all up beautifully with a stylish bow. In the video for “Kings of the Wild Frontier,” the band’s sense of style and social outrage were immediately arresting. The music they were making wasn’t worlds removed from The Clash, XTC and Bow Wow Wow (which featured some original Ants), but it felt fresh and liberating and rebellious at the same time. The B side, Press Darlings, could have easily been their next hit single. Included on the US pressing of Kings of the Wild Frontier, it plays up the fashionable side of Adam Ant’s persona, including a shout-out to NME critic, Nick Kent, as the “best-dressed man in town.” The band was ahead of their time, as evidenced by the fact that the song nearly topped the UK charts when it was re-released six months later.

Original 7-inch single version

A1. Kings of the Wild Frontier (Adam Ant/Marco Pirroni)
B1. Press Darlings (Adam Ant, arr. by Marco Pirroni)

The Players

Produced by Chris Hughes.

The Plastic

Released on 7-inch single on July 25, 1980 in the UK (CBS, S CBS 8877) with picture sleeve. Reached #48 on the UK charts.

1. Re-released on 7-inch single in February 1981 in the UK (CBS, S CBS 8877) with picture sleeve. Reached #2 on the UK charts.